Back To The Labyrinth Ch 5--The Big Reveal
by DaniNatureGirl313
Summary: Unfortunately, a mishap with this site caused this chapter to be excluded from the original publishing, which also resulted in a double-release of Chapter 4. I apologize to my readers for that, but it doesn't look like I'll be able to fix it right now. Everything on my end appears to be normal, so I'm really at a loss. For now, just consider this a 1-shot excerpt. Enjoy.


**Chapter Five: Arguments and Revelations**

I must have partied a bit too hard on Halloween, because a few days later, I contracted a severe cold. Mom got my homework from school, so I wouldn't fall behind. My fever spiked to 103 degrees. One day, while my mother had gone to pick up my medicine at the pharmacy, Jareth stopped by to see me. But even his cool gloved hand against my forehead couldn't make me feel better. I half-thought I was going to melt the leather, given the heat of my skin. He said, "I'm so sorry, Ari, that you have to suffer like this." I rasped out weakly, "It's just a cold. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but his head suddenly twitched in a way I knew all too well: another wisher was calling. I gently squeezed his hand and forced a smile, mouthing the words "It's okay. Go." He sighed, and he disappeared in a puff of glitter. What made it worse was that since I was sick, I couldn't go visit my friends.

On a particular afternoon, I think it may have been a Tuesday, I received another visitor. Mom was dosing me with some cough syrup, when I glanced over her shoulder and spotted a hawk in the tree outside my window. I didn't think much of it, until I saw that it had what appeared to be silver eyes. Before my mind could even register that fact, Mom asked, "Do you think you can manage here if I go run some errands, sweetie?" I nodded, and I mumbled a reminder of my age. "Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting. You're seventeen. You're all that." We both laughed as she stood and shut the door behind her. Then, I turned my attention back to the window. I really hoped those eyes didn't belong to who I thought they did. I was shocked when I looked up and saw the hawk was gone, but I was also relieved. However, that feeling didn't last long. I saw the hawk again, gliding past my window. Then, I saw its shadow land on the small balcony outside, and I watched as it stretched upwards, into a more human-like shape.

Deimos waved his hand, and the doors to the balcony slowly opened. I nervously pulled the covers up over my chest and begged him, "Please, don't come any closer. I'm really sick." "Yes, I know, but you mustn't worry. Isn't that what you humans have hand sanitizer for?" I had to giggle, despite everything. I said, "'You humans'? You're starting to sound like Jareth." He laughed and walked over to the side of my bed. He moved to pull up a chair, but something in his eyes suggested second thoughts. He looked at me, gestured at the bed, and asked, "May I?" I understood what he meant. If it were anyone else, I would've said no, but I knew he would never try anything out of line. I scooted over and said softly, "Go ahead." The pillows jumped a bit as the mattress accommodated his weight.

After a couple minutes of awkward silence, he asked, "So, has there been any improvement in your condition?" "There hasn't been much. My throat isn't as sore, and I am not as achy. Still, my head is pounding, I am always dizzy, and my fever hasn't gone down at all." He nodded in understanding. Then, he told me, "I would like to be able to offer you some kind of respite, but my healing skills aren't as accomplished as Jareth's are." I knew what he meant. The last time the Goblin King had visited me, he tried to fix some of my symptoms, but the relief had only been temporary. I recalled him telling me, "There are some things even I can't fix." I guess it was because the cold virus was attacking multiple areas of my body, not just one, like when my ankle had been broken. He could only offer permanent cures for localized injuries or illnesses. Deimos turned back to me and continued, "The best I can give you is a tonic. It should help lessen your headache and fever, but it may make you tired." "I'm willing to try anything." A small bottle appeared in his left hand, which he passed over to me. When I uncorked the bottle, my one good nostril caught a very sweet smell, which reminded me of freshly-baked pumpkin pie. It went down like a kind of thick syrup. I turned on my television, and Deimos sat silent as we channel-surfed. We finally settled on Cartoon Network. After somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes, I began feeling a little sleepy. I started nodding off, and at one point, my head hit Deimos's shoulder. I jumped back in a mix of surprise and embarrassment, apologizing for it. He laughed and shook his head, saying, "No, no, it's fine. You need all the comfort you can get. I'd probably do the same thing, were I in your position." I smiled, this being my first real one with energy in what felt like forever. "Is it really okay?" He smiled and nodded, assuring me that it was. My eyelids were drooping once more, so I finally decided to give in. I leaned my head against Deimos's chest, almost curling my arms around my waist. I felt his right hand come to rest on my shoulder. I repositioned myself, and in less than two minutes, I was out.

I woke up a few hours later. Deimos was gone, but the theme song to the cartoon "Darkwing Duck" was there instead to greet me. I used to love the show when I was a kid, so it was a refreshingly happy moment. I giggled when the soloist sang in a deep voice, "Let's get dangerous." I questioned softly, "Why does that line remind me of Jareth?" A voice came from behind my bookshelf that replied, "Because I am dangerous." I jumped, until I saw the subject of my wondering step into the light. He finished with, "And you would do well to remember that." He smiled, and I smiled back. He reverted back to his owl form, and I watched him fly out my window. Downstairs, I heard the front door close, indicating the return of my mother.

The tonic did me more good than I was willing to admit. That was the best sleep I had in a long time. After several days, my head finally stopped hurting. The best part had actually come the very next morning. Mom felt my forehead and said, "Hey, you know what? Your fever's broken." I breathed a huge sigh of relief. It wasn't easy, feeling like your bones were on fire for a little over a week. After a few doses of mullein-based hot tea, along with finishing off my medicine, I recovered. Once the last of my make-up work was finished, the next thing on my 'to-do' list was going back to the Underground to see everyone. We had a half-day at school on the following Monday, and thank goodness, there was no homework assigned. Mom dropped me home, so she could go buy some groceries. Less than a minute later, I used the crystal and was standing in the castle ballroom. Memories of my birthday party came rushing back as I jogged out the big double-doors. I encountered Sir Didymus in the main hall, who said, "It's so good to see you well again, Lady Ari." "Thank you very much. I'm happy to be back here. Please, do give my regards to Ludo and Hoggle if you see them." "Of course."

I wandered around for a few minutes, trying to get my bearings back. When I went upstairs, I saw that one of the library doors was slightly open. The shades were drawn, the light inside was low, and I heard the sound of crackling wood, indicating a fire burned within. I heard a heavy male sigh, laced with an accent I would have had to be crazy not to recognize. I moved closer, and details of the area slowly became clearer. Besides the roaring fireplace, a few lit candelabras were scattered around. As I poked my head further in, the faint scent of smoke met my nose. Boot-steps on metal echoed above my head. They started descending, before they suddenly stopped. A shadowed head peered over the railing, with only a few wispy strands of blond hair visible in the light. "Oh, it's you, Ari." I looked up and asked, "Am I bothering you?" "No, not at all. Please, go take a seat. I'll be right down." I sank down onto the couch as he walked up behind me. I noticed he was wearing a dark blue bathrobe with red lining over his all-black outfit. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, then took his place in a chair to my right, swinging his legs and crossing them over the left armrest. I spotted a bottle of brandy on the floor next to the chair, and I watched him pour himself a glass. "May I have some?" He quirked up an eyebrow, surprised that I would even ask. "I assumed a girl of your…refined caliber would prefer a more elegant drink, but no matter." He finished filling my glass and handed it to me, saying, "Your wish is my command." I smiled thankfully as I took it from his hand, and I brought it tentatively to my lips, pausing to savor the taste. "Not bad.", I thought. It felt so calming to be here with Jareth, in his element. He always seemed more comfortable, more content, when he was home. And his eyes would literally sparkle, simply by talking about it.

He said, "I see the color's come back into your cheeks." "I wouldn't risk coming back here, if I thought I was going to get anyone else sick." He nodded and reached into his pocket, taking out a small silver box and what looked like a white stick of the same size—cigarettes. What the heck was he doing with those? As he put one in his mouth and lit it, he must have realized I was staring. He made a 'hmph'-type noise and said, "Really, now, don't look at me like that. You know perfectly well it won't affect me." "Well, yeah, but it just seems a bit…strange." He laughed slightly, balancing the cigarette between his fingers and taking a puff. As he exhaled, he told me, "It's just a human habit I picked up long ago. You shouldn't concern yourself with such trivial matters. Besides, these don't even have nicotine in them. These are herbal." After a couple more puffs, he said, "I still can't believe that all this time, Sarah has never figured out what you've been doing. From what I understand, you're normally a very obedient, devoted child. For you to keep a secret like this…well, that is quite naughty indeed." I sighed happily, leaning back against the cushioning of the couch. "I know. I suppose I have become a bit of a rebel." "There's nothing wrong with that." I gave a sneaky smile and replied, "And you would know." The corner of his mouth twitched upwards in a slight smirk.

I asked what he had been up to lately. He gestured at a small stack of books on the table. "I didn't know you liked to read that much." "Well, I do most of my work here too, but I have to relax every once in a while." I picked up each one, skimming over the titles. Most of them were about various kinds of mythology, but it was the one at the bottom that really caught my attention. I said, "Dorian Gray? Wow, this is really cool." "That's actually one of my personal favorites. It is truly amazing what a man will do to…preserve something he treasures." He broke eye contact with me during that long pause, as if an image came to his mind that he would rather forget. "What's the matter, Jareth?" He replied softly with a quick shake of his head, "Nothing." I sighed, and I mulled over those words: 'preserve something he treasures'. In Dorian's case, it was youth, but I certainly knew what Jareth treasured more than anything else: my mother. He wanted the time he spent with her to never end, and that's why he kept trying to stall her during her run. It was never really about Uncle Toby. He wanted to give her a chance to fall in love with the Underground, with him. I hated seeing him look so sad. I had to think of a quick way to diffuse the tension. I said, "I guess the one thing I regret about this place is that there's no television." He chuckled and conjured a crystal. He looked back at me with a smirk and said, "You're kidding me, right?" I shrugged, smiled, and watched him throw it at the wall above the fireplace, where it shattered and formed a flat-screen-tv.

The first thing that came up was an old episode of "C.S.I.", which featured a role by Taylor Swift. I explained who she was, and I was then cajoled into singing two of her songs, choosing "Today Was A Fairytale" and "Enchanted". Certain lyrics in both reminded me of him. We were well into an awesome movie, when I noticed my companion was getting extra giggly. It was then that I took a closer look at the glass in his hand. How many of them had he taken? Was that his third, or perhaps his seventh? I hadn't been paying attention, so I wasn't really counting, since I was still slowly sipping and enjoying my first. A second later, I got my answer…kind of. Jareth turned to look at me and started making joke after joke, but I couldn't understand him. I suppressed a giggle and asked, "Are you drunk?" "Um…Not quite." He reached down for the bottle, but I grabbed his arm. He tried to form a glare at me, and he even mumbled what sounded like some sort of threat. "Okay, it's off to bed for you." I stood and shook my head, whistling for any goblin servants nearby to come help me. "Wha-What's going on?" I put my hand on his shoulder and replied, "You're going to go take a nap now." Before he was lead out of there completely, he made me promise to come back, which I did. I scanned around and spotted what appeared to be a liquor cabinet. I quickly rushed over to it and put the brandy bottle inside. In the end, I suppose it was a good thing our visit was cut so short, because I got back home milliseconds before Mom did.

She asked me why I was so out of breath. "Oh, I was just taking a nap and fell out of bed." "Well, whatever happened, help get this stuff into the kitchen. I have to start dinner in fifteen minutes." I muttered an agreement and followed her. She didn't believe me. I knew she didn't. But as luck would have it, her need to begin cooking our evening meal trumped everything else. I had to do something to make it up to her. "Hey, Mom, why don't you let me cook dinner tonight?" "Are you sure, honey? Pork roast isn't exactly easy to cook." I smiled and told her, "But it's not hard, either." She couldn't argue with that. She set up everything I needed, saying, "Be careful in there, princess." The faint hint of a blush came to my cheeks. 'Princess' was her favorite nickname for me, and it had always been like that. As she walked past me to leave the kitchen, she paused mid-step. "What's that I smell?" Uh-oh. I was still panting a bit, so both she and I could detect the slight scent of brandy on my breath. I gulped hard, but I didn't let her see it. "Yeah, I know. I've had this weird taste in my mouth all day. You don't happen to have a mint, do you?" She took one from her pocket and handed it to me, before walking off, a confused expression on her face. It was all I could do, not to give a loud sigh of relief. Mom was right about one thing: cooking that roast was indeed quite difficult. I had misjudged the size, so I was uncertain of how much seasoning and marinade to use. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead for the umpteenth time, my mind wandered to a very sloshed Goblin King. Did he make it back to his room okay? Gosh, I hoped so. He could barely stand when the servants came. My arms tired, I stopped moving for a moment. This was taking more of my energy than I expected. I closed my eyes and focused on an image of Jareth, lounging on his throne. I had the weirdest feeling he could hear me. I said in a low voice, "How about a little help here, buddy? I really wish this dinner would come right." I opened my eyes and looked down. Sure enough, there was the perfect roast, sitting in the pan. I whispered, "Thanks."

Later on as we ate, Mom said, "Wow, honey, this was really good. I must admit, I am a little surprised." "Well, Mother Dearest, you'll find I am full of surprises." She smiled as she took another bite of food. We had sundaes for dessert, and we watched a suspense film called "Contagion". Mom said, "If parents really want to teach their kids to wash their hands, they should show them this movie." "Yeah, and they can pay for their therapy afterwards, too." She playfully shoved me, and we had a mini-pillow fight. It was a rare light-hearted moment, in a time that had become so tense for both of us. I was keeping a secret, and she sensed it, but she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. However, I could, in turn, sense that she had secrets of her own, but I didn't bother to think about what they could be. As I went to bed that night, I said my usual prayers, but I also said a special one for the newest of my best friends. I vividly remember saying, "Dear Lord, please look after Jareth as he sleeps tonight. Put Your Healing Hand of Comfort on him, so that his rest is peaceful, and that he will not be too severely ill when the sun rises tomorrow morning. I thank You for bringing him into my life, another person who has touched me, and whom I hope to have touched in return. It is what we are meant to do, to reach out to others from different backgrounds, regardless of social status, to spread love and make the world a better place. I pray that I soon receive the courage to tell my mother the truth, and I also pray that any bad blood there is between her and him, let it be resolved. Bitterness and anger are the most dangerous poisons in existence today, consuming like a cancer if allowed to. Also, look after Deimos and everyone else in the labyrinth community, because they are also Your Children, just as much as I am. Let all these things be done according to Your Will, in whatever time frame You deem fit. Guard my dreams, so that they are pure and happy. Amen."

The next morning, I got a text from Charlotte. She said that due to a burst pipe, school was canceled for that day, and would possibly also be closed tomorrow. That meant I was likely in for a four-day weekend. On top of that, fall break started the following Monday. Gosh, I was one lucky girl. Mom had a terrible headache, so she took some medicine, which unfortunately made her sleepy. So, while she rested, I put up some new posters in my room. I was hanging up one for "Love Never Dies", when I heard a small thump, along with the sound of a groaning male voice. It wasn't Jareth or Deimos. That was for sure. I would have seen one of their shadows immediately. I was pleasantly surprised, when I looked at the pillows on my window-seat and realized it was actually Hoggle. "Hey. This is certainly an unexpected visit, but a welcome one." "Uh…thanks. You, um…You got some nice digs here." He had been here before. Why was he only taking notice now? "Thank you. So, to what do I owe this?" "Well, actually, it's about…Jareth." I asked, "Oh how is he? He looked pretty bad off yesterday." He replied, "He's fine now. It wasn't anything too serious. Had to, how shall I put this…empty his stomach a couple times, though." Ah, yikes. I cringed. He probably spent half the morning 'worshiping the porcelain god'. I felt so incredibly guilty, like I should have stayed to help him, or something. I said, "I hope the poor guy's not nursing too bad of a hangover. I should probably bring him some Pepto-Bismol when I go see him today." Hoggle suddenly looked down in nervousness and said, "Actually, that's what I came here to talk to you about." "What do you mean?" He gave a heavy sigh and continued, "I really don't think it's a good idea, for you to be hanging around with him so much anymore." "Um…Okay. Come over here. Sit with me on my bed, and we can talk better about this." Where the heck was this coming from all of a sudden? I was about to find out. I helped him up, and he commented on how soft and bouncy the bed was. I asked, "So, Hoggle, why don't you tell me what's really going on here?"

He took several deep breaths, trying to calm the shakes that were slowly taking over his body. When he finally looked back up at me, I saw a great mix of fear and reluctance in his eyes. He sighed and said, "Look, Jareth is not the kind of person you think he is. He's not a nice man." "I'm still not sure where you're going with this." "He never told you what happened to your mother and uncle, did he?" I twitched my head sideways in slight confusion. Come to think of it, no, he never really did tell me the details of what happened. But I knew the basics, so why did it matter now? I voiced that question, and he told me, "It means everything. You don't know what he put them through. He is not kind…at all. He's wicked. He's evil." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! I know you guys have had your issues, but that's no reason to…" "No, you don't get it, Ari! It's not that the others and I don't like seeing you, because we do, but he's just using you to get to your mother! You're his substitute, his second-best!" I rolled my eyes and waved him off, ready to walk angrily out of my room. I was about to shut my door completely. Suddenly, he said, "No, wait! Stop! I didn't think you'd believe me at first, so I brought proof." He reached into his vest pocket and held out a very familiar glass ball—one of Jareth's crystals. My jaw dropped, although I still don't know if it was from shock or fear. I went down to my knees, to his eye-level. My words came out in a nervous whisper, "Where did you get that? Oh, gosh, Hoggle, please tell me you didn't steal it." "It's not like it matters. He makes new ones out of thin air all the time. He won't even miss this one." "Do you realize how much trouble you're going to be in when he finds out?" "I don't care. It's worth it, if it means saving you and Sarah." He shoved the crystal into my palm and continued, "It should show you everything. Let's see if you're still willing to defend the rat after this." I almost dropped the crystal, and when I moved to catch it, it shattered in my hands. I didn't have time to panic, or to even ask questions. I was consumed by sparkling silver light, and when it cleared, I was as far away from home as I could possibly be.

I had gone back in time, that much was clear, and it had to be a few years before I was born. I was back in the same room as I was during my first vision months ago. Wow, had it really been months already? Anyway, I looked to my right, and Teenage Mom was standing there. A deep male voice said, "Well, this is quite unexpected. I was under the impression you were alone tonight to babysit, Sarah." Jareth was fully visible to me this time, back in the same outfit he had worn during his unintentional visit to me as an infant. There was something else in his mismatched eyes, a special kind of sparkle I had never seen before. Mom looked over her shoulder at me, with an expression that likely meant, "Who on Earth are you?" I stuttered for a second and shook my head, before I came up with the plausible answer of, "I'm Arianna Christian. I'm a friend of Sarah's from school. I'm new to the neighborhood, and she's showing me around. Her parents were kind enough to let me spend the night." I stared hard into her eyes, indicating for her to just go with it. She nodded quickly and looked down at the floor. It did feel a bit strange for me to address her by her name, but under the circumstances, I really didn't have a choice. My fake last name was an adaptation of my real middle name, which was Christine. I made eye contact once more with the Goblin King, who I now had to pretend I never met before. I extended my hand and continued, "It's nice to meet you, though I don't know your name." Instead of a shake, he took it and ghosted a quick kiss over the back, saying simply, "Jareth." That was so stiff, so formal, very different from the easy rapport we had developed in my time. Mom had recovered from the sudden shock of my presence by now. She looked up and asked, "Where is my brother?" Oh, that's right. She was about to go rescue Uncle Toby. He told her, "You know very well where he is." They had a short semi-heated discussion, with him urging her to go "go back to your toys and your costumes". "She pleaded with him for my future uncle's return, and I watched as the crystal in his hand changed into a snake. "Sarah…Don't defy me." He threw the snake at her, but it changed into a scarf as she grabbed it. How was she defying him? He wasn't her father, and she wasn't a citizen of his world. He couldn't tell her what to do. She said again, "But I have to have my brother back." Jareth simply pointed out the window and replied, "He's there, in my castle." As she started walking forward, I tugged gently at her shirt sleeve and said, "Sarah, I don't know about this." "You don't understand. He's got…" She never finished her sentence, because the world around us had changed.

We were now in the Underground, on Jareth's home turf. Mom was staring straight ahead, at the castle I knew so well. She asked, "Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?" He once more urged her to "turn back, before it's too late". Too late? I hoped that didn't mean what it sounded like. I knew Jareth was a lot of things, but I certainly never pegged him for a murderer. Then, I recalled the 'goblin transformation' rule, the one he was enforcing now. He faked sounding sorry, when she said she couldn't. She turned back around and said, "It doesn't look all that far." He leaned over her shoulder, his face next to hers. "It's further than you think, and time is short. You should have listened to me and to your little friend, when you still had the chance." He brushed past me, seeming not to care when he bumped my shoulder and hurt me. I whispered under my breath, "Well, that was rude." He pointed at a nearby clock, turned back to us, and said, "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth, before your baby brother becomes one of us…forever." He winked at me and gave a tiny smile. Then, both he and the clock disappeared. Mom said something I couldn't hear. She then started walking down the hill, glancing over her shoulder and asking me if I was coming. "What? Oh, yeah, sure I am. I'm just still…in shock from all this." "You're shocked? Imagine how I feel."

We eventually ended up at a pond next to the labyrinth border. I stopped to re-tie my sneaker, and as I stood back up, I heard Mom talking with someone I recognized as Hoggle. I only caught part of the conversation as I rounded the corner of a bush. "What did you expect fairies to do?" Ah, so she had also felt the sting of a fairy bite, one more thing we had in common. She said, "I thought they did nice things, like granting wishes." Through a stifled laugh, I muttered, "Yeah, right" under my breath, and Hoggle seemed to share my sentiments. He replied, "Ha! Shows what you know." He then went back to spraying. He jumped again when he spotted me, but I mostly ignored him, stopping only to tell him my 'name'. I walked to Mom's side and said, "You know, Sarah, Tinkerbell only made people fly. She didn't grant wishes." She rolled her eyes and mumbled what sounded like "shut up". After a brief argument with Hoggle about the proper way to ask questions, he pointed us in the direction of the entrance. We encountered everything I expected us to, like the never-ending trail and the little blue worm. Soon after that, we wound up in a more open, but no less confusing, part of the labyrinth. The area had changed from dark gray, moss-covered stone, into much cleaner-looking dark yellow stone. Mom came up with the idea of using her lipstick to make direction arrows on the ground. As she crouched to make the first one, I thought I heard music. Strangely, I was the only one who could. It echoed in my mind, and I realized it was Jareth's voice. He sang, "I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry. What could I do?" That was the same song I heard him doing in the throne room, while I was still recovering from my ankle injury. I tapped lightly against the side of my head, and the music slowly faded away. I jogged after Mom, watching her make several more marks. But soon, she realized somebody had been changing them around, and she groaned about how unfair it was.

After enduring that annoying-as-all-get-out goat-door riddle, we received one scary shock. The ground slid out from under Mom, and when I moved to catch her, we both fell into a deep chasm-like hole. What happened in there, you ask? Well, technically, we were groped…by hands that spoke! They kept asking which way we wanted to go, and Mom answered for us. "Um, well, since we're pointed down, I guess we'll go down." I wanted to scream at her, "Speak for yourself!" But I didn't get the chance. The hands made fun of her, and when she tried to change her mind, they let go of our arms and legs, letting us fall. We both crashed to the sandy floor below, but because I bounced a bit, I rolled into a far, dark corner. The back of my head hit a rock, so I drifted in and out of consciousness. I don't remember much from those few minutes. However, I do recall extremely muffled voices, some long drawn-out moaning sounds, and rustling dirt. I heard the sound of glass cracking under lots of pressure, and a soft but strong explosion-like noise. The force of the blast threw something hard against another wall, and I heard a person groan, but I faded out again after that. When I finally came back to full awareness, I saw Mom crumpled up in another corner, groaning about how much her head hurt. I said, "You and me both. Are you okay, Sarah?" "Ask me later." I giggled slightly and helped her up. Suddenly, we heard the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer. Mom asked, "Who's there?" I was only mildly surprised when it turned out to be Hoggle. "It's me. You ladies look like you could use a hand." I replied sarcastically, "We've had our fair share of them already." For a short while, they ignored me, while they discussed what kind of help we should get.

After some bracelet-induced temptation from Mom, he helped us out of what I learned was called an oubliette, a prison cell-like room designed for forgetting those trapped within it. It did make me laugh, though, when he mistook the broom closet for the escape door. He threw, "That wasn't funny" over his shoulder, and I said, "Yes, it was." He glared at me then corrected his mix-up. We walked through a hallway of talking stone faces, and as we neared the end, a crystal rolled out in front of us. I said, "Oh, no." Only one person could have done that. I knew the 'someone' kneeling before us was definitely no beggar. When Hoggle assured him that we were doing "nothing", my suspicions were proved correct. "Nothing?! Nothing?!" Even during our 'authority/gossip tiff', I didn't see Jareth get that angry. "Your Majesty, what a nice surprise." I briefly lost control and said, "Surprise? Like you didn't know, dude. I saw that coming before you did!" Jareth quirked up an eyebrow at my sudden show of steel, and I heard Hoggle say softly through gritted teeth, "You're not helping here." His king turned back to him and said, "Speaking of help, could it be that you're helping this girl?" He pointed at Mom to emphasize his point. There was a denial, the threat of a one-way trip to the bog, and some rather sad-looking begging for mercy. Jareth stood straight again and walked over to Mom. He moved in between us, bracing himself against the wall with his right hand, and asked, "And you, Sarah, how are you enjoying my labyrinth?" To me, that sounded like a harmless question about his home, but it seemed to be the wrong thing to ask about in these circumstances. She looked at the ground and said, "It's a piece of cake." I cringed. Now, that was definitely the wrong thing to say. The last thing you want to do to a guy, especially a wealthy and powerful guy in complete control, was take away his macho. Mom didn't realize it, but that was exactly what she had just done. I saw the look on his face, and I knew we were in for it. "Really? Then, how about upping the stakes?" He glanced over his shoulder and swirled his first two fingers around in a circle, which made the clock's hands go forward. "That's not fair!" I rolled my eyes and groaned. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." He started walking away. Then, I said to Mom, "That's the best you could come up with? Think about where you are right now, Sarah. Nothing is going to be fair." She opened her mouth to say something, but instead, Jareth said, "See? Miss Christian understands how things work here. So, the labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it? Well, let's see how you two deal with this little slice." He conjured another crystal, before turning around and throwing it into the darkness. The walls around us started rumbling. I saw him vanish in a puff of glitter. Then, a huge metal ball covered in spikes started coming towards us. Hoggle screamed out, "Oh, no, the Cleaners. Run!" We linked hands and bolted down the tunnel. As we ran, he continued, "The Cleaners?! The Bog of Stench?! You sure got his attention!" I shouted, "No, really?! You think?!" That thing was so close to us, I could feel one of the spikes scraping the back of my shoe. Suddenly, Mom and Hoggle jumped to the side. I tried to follow them, but the power of the Cleaner's movement threw me in the opposite direction.

I wandered around in the darkness, using my hands to feel my way. I called for both my mother and for Hoggle, but neither of them answered me. Finally, I found a torch, and I used a rock to strike and light it. Illuminated before me was a ladder. Thank goodness! I put the torch back in its holster on the wall. I climbed each rung slowly, praying that the wood hadn't been too rotted. There was something above my head, and when I pushed it away, sunlight hit my face. I crawled out of what looked like a giant stone flower pot. I mumbled, "Great." I had broken the one important rule of childhood school field trips: don't get separated from your buddy. What was I going to do now? How was I going to get to the castle without Mom? I could see it from where I stood next to a fountain, and that felt like the ultimate torture—"You can see me, but you can't touch me." I sighed and started walking. After a while, I ended up in a hedge maze. I thought I heard Mom screaming, but I couldn't be sure it was her.

I started hearing voices, specifically male voices, in what sounded like a fast-heating argument. Surprise, surprise, it was Jareth and Hoggle. I ducked behind a rock and watched them. A crystal was thrown into the hands of the much shorter creature, where it turned into a peach. A present? Ha! I listened as they talked. "It ain't gonna hurt the little lady, is it?" "Oh, now, why the concern?" Jareth teased Hoggle over the issue of Mom and friendship. He poked him in the chest with his riding crop and asked, "You don't think a young girl could ever like a repulsive, little scab like you?" What? Okay, now that was enough. A little good-natured ribbing was fine, but now, he was just plain being mean. I jumped out from my hiding place and shouted angrily, "Hey! Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?!" He turned and smiled at me. "Ah, Miss Christian, I don't know you were there. And as for your question, I would, but this is so much more…fun." I walked closer to him, until we were face-to-face. Behind me, I heard Hoggle whine in fear. "You find this fun? Does it make you feel better about yourself?" He shrugged, still never losing that crafty, toothy smile.

I couldn't believe it. This was not the Jareth I knew. What the heck happened? He tilted his head sideways and continued, "You and Sarah seem to have gotten separated. Would you mind telling me how?" I said, "That's none of your business." "This is my labyrinth, child. Everything that happens in it is my business. Although, I must say, you seem to be taking this better than she is, especially in regard to me." "I pay no regard to you." He chuckled and asked, "Don't you?" We stood there in semi-awkward silence, while I fumed inside. How could he dare to be flirtatious, when I was clearly angry? Finally, I took a deep breath and said, "You remind me of someone I know. If I can handle him, I can certainly handle you." He moved even closer to me, staring straight into my eyes. "Do you really think so?" I lifted my chin in defiance, my hands on my hips, and replied, "I know I can. And if I can, I know Sarah should have no trouble at all." He gave a short, heavy exhale and backed up a few steps. Another crystal appeared in his hand. He smirked at me and said, "Go join your friend, then." He threw the crystal at my feet, where it broke and yet another blinding light surrounded me. I felt like I was tumbling through space, and I wasn't sure exactly how long it lasted, but it seemed forever before it stopped. When the light cleared, I was in a kind of junk yard. I heard the sounds of a struggle, and I ran toward them. I saw Mom, being helped out of a pile by two creatures I recognized as Ludo and Sir Didymus. I called out, "Sarah! Sarah, over here!" She spotted me and smiled. She ran to me and said, "Oh, Arianna, thank goodness. I was so worried about you." We hugged, and she introduced me to her new companions. It was a little strange to shake hands with the tiny fox-knight, since in my time he was actually the one who first introduced me to this magical world. As walked toward the town border, Mom asked me where I had been all this time. "Oh, I, um…I ran into some old friends." She nodded and didn't question me further. She did tell me some of what happened after the tunnel, though. The peach I saw before was drugged! Gosh, I should have known! Talk about your _Snow_ _White_ reference! I was even more ticked off at Jareth now, as if that were even possible. I ignored the part about the ball, because in a sense, I had already seen it. She softly voiced her concerns once more, and I quietly replied, "Not to worry, Sarah. If he lays one bad hand on Toby, I will personally wring his neck" She gave a closed-mouthed smile and patted my shoulder. At long last, we arrived at the gates to Goblin City.

We had a small fight with a robot, and we were happy when Hoggle re-joined the group and helped us. We were trying to open the door, when Sir Didymus started putting his military skills to use. Or at least, he thought he was. Everyone else attempted to calm him down, but to no avail. I decided to take a try. I crouched to his level and said, "Didymus, the real key to a successful invasion is stealth. The key to stealth is silence. And that means…" He nodded in understanding and said, "Yes, of course. I will be sure to keep my voice as low as possible, if I do use it at all." We walked through the gates, into the very heart of the city. However, something about it wasn't right. I began feeling a bit scared. It was quiet…too quiet. I said softly, "This is too easy. Something's wrong." I heard Mom reply, "I think you may be right."

Suddenly, I froze mid-step. I heard a voice in my mind: Jareth's, of course. A castle servant had just told him we were coming. My sight grew fuzzy, but it still felt like I was seeing the throne room from his point of view. I heard him say, "What?! She must be stopped! Call out the guard! Take the baby, and hide it!" He shoved Uncle Toby into the arms of one of the taller goblins. Then, the vision went away. As I came back into 'reality', I heard the loud sound of a horn blast. Mom said, "Uh-oh." I was thinking something similar, but it wasn't as nice of a word. Immediately, goblins in full military uniform began popping up from everywhere. We agreed to separate and planned to meet again at the castle doors. I took off in one direction, while Mom and the others took off in another. The battle started heating up, getting really crazy. Some kind of grenade whizzed past my head, hit a nearby home, and the force of the blast knocked me against a tree. I fell to the ground, completely unconscious. How I survived all those knocks to the head without serious damage, I'll never know. When I opened my eyes again, I was laying on my bedroom floor, with Hoggle standing over me.

I rubbed my head and asked in a groggy voice, "What happened?" He replied, "What do you think happened? Your mother got to the castle just in time. She confronted the rat and got your uncle home, despite His Majesty's best efforts." "Best efforts? What else did he do?" "She told me he said something about fearing him and slavery, but it's been so long, I really don't remember." I looked down at his wrist and gave a partial smile. "You still have her bracelet, I see." He looked down and smiled, a faint blush coming into his cheeks. He said, "Yes, well, Sarah was my first real friend. I'd do anything for her, and that includes this. Don't worry, though. I know you met each other, but she won't remember. Neither will Jareth." We exchanged hugs and good-byes. Then, he went home, and I was left alone with my thoughts. Speaking of Jareth, what was I going to do about him now? I still planned to do the humane thing and bring him the medicine, but how was I going to confront him about all this? I couldn't simply let it go. Trust is central to any good relationship. I mumbled under my breath, "Why didn't you tell me?"

A few minutes later, Mom woke up and came into my room. She said, "I just got a phone call from your uncle. His car broke down on the interstate, and he had to get a tow truck. I have to go pick him up and bring him to the doctor to get his knee injury checked." Uncle Toby had pulled a ligament in his left knee about three years ago, and it always gave him trouble after that. "Feeling better, Mom?" "Yeah. Excedrin is a miracle drug." We both giggled. Then, she turned her head to the side and asked, "Are you okay, honey?" "Yeah, I am totally fine. Just a little woozy, that's all." She kissed my forehead, and I stared after her as she left. So, that's what she's been keeping from me all these years. Because of her slip-of-the-tongue, giving in to her anger, she went through agony to save her baby brother. And certain people didn't make it any easier. It was now, or never. I had to go. I took the crystal from the box, and I repeated the words that by now had become as natural as breathing. When I opened my eyes, I was in a lush garden, and I heard the sound of running water. I followed it, eventually coming upon a stunning fountain. I slumped down onto a nearby bench and sighed. A few minutes later, I heard footsteps close behind me. Then, I heard coughing. I looked over my shoulder, and I saw a familiar pair of eyes looking back. Jareth smiled, walked over, and sat beside me. I caught the heavy smell of peppermint, probably from breath mints used to cover up the fact that he'd been sick. I said simply, "Hi." What I used to look forward to was now the most awkward thing in the world.

I sighed and asked, "So, how are you feeling? It looked like you had a really bad night." He chuckled slightly and replied, "There's the biggest understatement in the world. No, really though, I'm better now. Thanks for asking." I handed him the bottle of Pepto-Bismol, saying, "It's the best I had at home. It's supposed to help calm your stomach. I don't know how much good it'll be, though." He smiled and tucked it into his coat pocket. He said, "I shouldn't have let my drinking get out of hand like that, especially not in front of you." I mumbled, 'Oh, so now, that matters all of a sudden?" "What?" A long silence set in, with him trying to make eye contact, and me trying to avoid it. "What's going on, Ari?" I sighed again and turned to face him. I asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me…what happened when my uncle was wished here?" The muscles in his face went slack, and he immediately averted his gaze. Obviously, he never thought I would bring it up. He said, "I hoped you wouldn't find out." "What? Did you think I was stupid, or something?" "No, no, of course not. I just…didn't want you to think of me in a bad light." I stood up, getting angrier by the second, and said, "Bad light? That was more than just a bad light, Jareth! Regardless of anything else, you put both Mom and Uncle Toby in incredible danger! There were several times when she could have been killed! Did you honestly consider that as showing off, that she would just…fall into your arms after all that?" He stood up, too, taking my hands. "You just don't understand…" "Oh, I understand perfectly, Your Majesty! No! Let—Let go of me!" I pulled my wrists free of his iron, almost vice-like grip. "Mom turned you down, so you found another option, a nice little memento! You couldn't have her, so you settled for me! Hoggle was right! I am just your second-best!" I backed up several jogging steps. He started walking toward me and said, "No, wait. Ari, don't leave!" I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that were slowly building up in my eyes. Through gritted teeth, I said, "Take me home. I wish to return to my world." The garden faded, and was replaced by my bedroom walls.

I sat on the porch swing for a while, trying to read, but it didn't help. I ran back up to my room, fell onto my bed, and let the pounding in my ears lull me into a nap. When I woke, I heard my mom talking with someone downstairs. I walked out onto the staircase and looked over the banister, where I saw her paying the pizza guy. She looked up and saw me, smiled, and said, "I owed you one for yesterday, princess." We ate in relative calm, and I put on a pretend happy face. Before I knew it, it was time to go to bed. I sighed as I pulled the covers around myself, saying softly, "I can't believe I blew up like that. I should have let him try to explain, but I was just so ticked off. I'll go back tomorrow, and we'll really sort this whole thing out, in a more civilized manner." A few hours later, I thought I heard someone in my room. I thought it could've been Jareth, but I fell back into slumber before I could check. The next morning, I had a bath instead of a shower. As I sank under the suds, I couldn't help but transform my ceramic-tile surroundings into medieval-style stone walls, and the faucets and knobs into pure gold. I rolled my eyes. I dressed as quickly as I could, but as I was about to leave my room, I spotted something shiny on the carpet, next to my chest of drawers. I knelt down, and my jaw dropped in horror when I realized what it was: my teleportation crystal. I racked my brain, trying to figure out how this could have happened. Jareth looked sad when I left, not angry, so he couldn't have done this, and Hoggle said he liked having me around. Thus, there was only one person who could have broken it…Mom. I whispered, "Oh, no." I bolted out into the hallway. My mother was walking out of the bathroom. She walked past me with a smile on her face, a deceptively happy smile, the kind of smile that screamed, "I'm hiding something." She had reached the top of the stairs. I said, "Mom…we need to talk." She froze and turned around slowly. She knew.

"I saw…what you did to the crystal, and I want to know…why you did it." I walked close to her. She said, "It's for your own good. I had a lot of trouble there, and I don't want to see you go through that, too. It's not like Disney World." "I know, but I still don't get why you did it. I've been going there for months." "Months?!" Whoops. I smacked my hand across my mouth, but it was too late. Oh, well, might as well keep going. I said, "Yes, since while you were gone on your book tour. I got hurt there, and that's how I met…certain people. Why would you take that away from me?! That has been the most fun I have had in a really long time! Most of my friends are there!" She put her hands on my shoulders and said, "Trust me! Jareth is not your friend! He's—He's not anybody's friend!" Why would she stutter like that? Why would he be the first person she thought of? Anyway, I replied, "What does Jareth have anything to do with this? He didn't hurt me, and deep down, you know he wouldn't hurt you, either." "It doesn't matter! You disobeyed me!" "Disobeyed?! How old am I, ten?!" She got right in my face, fury burning in her pale jade eyes. It always used to work when I was a kid, but this was one matter I couldn't back down from. I said, "You know, it's not really the Goblin King you're running from! It's your own guilt! How long did it take, before you realized he actually loved you?" "That's enough" came out through gritted teeth. Just then, another part of the Escher Room moment flashed in my mind. Mom and Jareth stood face-to-face, a crystal in the man's right hand. He was dressed all in white, which made his wind-blown hair almost blend away. Mom was staring him down, trying to remember the last line from her storybook. He begged her, verbally on his knees in pleading, "Fear me. Love me. Do as I say, and I will be your slave." That didn't make any sense, until I analyzed the words. He was really saying, "Stay here, and we can rule as equals." To me, that was a code, tantamount to asking, "Will you marry me?" Then, I watched the pain spread across his face when she told him, "You have no power over me." When I snapped out of it, I said to Mom, "How could you? How could you go for so long without even trying to talk to him?" "It goes both ways, Ariadne! He could have tried, too!" I ignored her use of my full name, since she always did it when she got nervous. I knew he had tried, when I was a baby, but that was enough to steer him off. "Who's to say he didn't?! Can you really blame him for being nervous?! I wouldn't want to come back here, either, if I thought I was going to get this kind of reaction! He loved you, Mom! He deeply, deeply loved you! Why can't you see that? Why can't you accept or understand that?!" Then, she did something I never thought she would: she slapped me across my face! I was knocked back slightly from the force of it, but my anger blocked out any actual pain. She said, "I will hear no more about him, or about that world. You are hereby forbidden to even speak of it, or to contact anyone from there. Am I clear?" I narrowed my eyes and replied sarcastically, "Clear as a perfect, round crystal." She made what sounded like a growling noise, and I pivoted on my heel, stomping back to my room. I glanced over my shoulder and gave one last knock of, "'At least he had you home before midnight, Cinderella!" I slammed my door and threw myself on my bed, sobbing into my pillow. I was trapped. Not only could I not make up with someone very near and dear to my heart, but now, I would never see him again period! I had never felt so heartbroken before in my entire life.

In the days that followed, my life was tense and boring. Mom and I were little more than cordial to each other. I barely spoke to anyone, not even Uncle Toby, Charlotte, or my other close friend from my private school days, Jason Brock. School was an easy distraction, but not a total escape. I had to find a way of channeling my energy, which I did when I joined the "Big Brothers/Big Sisters" program. I was paired up with a little ten-year-old girl named Tamara Ford. She was of mixed race, with brown hair, and much darker brown eyes. She came from a broken home, and I thought I could provide a more positive influence. I told her stories about the Underground and about Jareth, including reading the book. But I never went so far as to tell her it was a real place, with real people and creatures. I felt like I could make my memories there live on through her, and that made me very happy.

Soon, Thanksgiving had arrived. The thought of having the whole family together for dinner put Mom in a better mood. We started being able to laugh with each other again, but it was always half-hearted for me. With every sunrise, I imagined a city being bathed in its amber glow. With every new animal noise, I turned it into an owl's hoot and a flash of gold-and-white feathers. When the actual day got there, I forced myself to pretend to be the girl I was at the same time last year. As I watched the Macy's Parade that morning, I couldn't help but wonder how my Underground friends would have loved it. The time came to start dressing for dinner. I pinned my hair off my neck with my claw clip. I wore a purple-and-white-striped sweater, grey jeans, and black ballet flats as a nod to one of Jareth's outfits. Wearing my owl pendant was meant to be a subtle defiance of my mom. I put on a dusting of powder-blue eye shadow, and for the first time in a long time, I also put on eye liner. Grandpa Robert said the prayer, and we tucked into an awesome meal. Despite my issues with Mom, I would never downplay her cooking ability. If she didn't already have her arts/writing career, I know she would have been a caterer.

The next night, we gathered again for the town parade. Under my heavy but glamorous white coat, I wore a turquoise sleeveless turtleneck, black studded jeans, and kept the same black flats. Over my top, I wore a silver chain link-style belt. I trudged up to bed that night, almost considering sleeping in my clothes. I had just washed my makeup off, when I heard a tapping sound at my window. Said windows then slowly opened, and I was shocked to see Deimos, standing in front of my window seat. He looked great in his dark blue-grey shirt and navy blue pants. But then again, he always looked great. My heart started its all-too-familiar marathon beat, which happened whenever he was around. I would have to be super-careful, since four adults were still downstairs. I stood frozen, until he smiled and said, "Hello, Ari. Happy Thanksgiving." He motioned me forward, and I listened, joining my hands in his. I asked, "What are you doing here?" "I heard what occurred between you and Jareth, and then what happened with your mother. I just wanted to offer some emotional support." He paused briefly then said, "You look beautiful." "Thanks." His hands slid up to hold my upper arms, just under my shoulders, and I moved mine to hold his elbows.

The moment was awkward, but even more, so painful. There was clearly so much we both wanted to say, and I was scared that we'd never have the chance to say them after this. It was Deimos who eventually ended up breaking the silence. He swallowed hard and said, "I wanted to tell you something, before the opportunity is lost to me forever. In these precious few months, I have truly lost my heart. But that's alright, because it brought me you. I can think of no better way to say this, other than…I-I love you. I love you, Ari." My eyes filled with tears. I was even more angry with Mom now. She had ripped me away from friends, and now she had ripped me away from love. I could hardly believe there was a chance I would never see this incredible person again. I had always wanted to tell him my true feelings, but I was always scared that he would dismiss them as trivial and childish. He looked to be about eight years my senior, and I thought that might be a contributing factor. I swallowed hard and choked out, "I love you, too." He took in a deep breath, a mix of shock and joy. His head tilted sideways, and before I could blink, his lips were on mine. How did it feel? Well, it was like resting your head on the perfect pillow, like finding the right piece to complete the puzzle. My technical first kiss happened when I was twelve, on a dare at a summer camp bonfire. I had a couple of steady boyfriends after that, and we did kiss, but…it wasn't like this at all. A couple of locks of his cinnamon hair tickled my nose, which made me giggle. Then, I started crying again, the reality of the situation setting in once more. We pulled apart, and Deimos wiped some of my tears away with his thumb. He said very softly, "Shh. Hush, now. Everything has been laid bare, so there's no need for regrets." He kissed me again and continued, "If forever, fare thee well." I smiled, recalling the quote from one of our many discussions, and said "President William Henry Harrison." He nodded and placed another quick kiss on my forehead. When I opened my eyes, he was gone. I dropped to my knees and sobbed as quietly as I could.

A week turned into a month, and soon, it was early December. I didn't see Deimos after that, or anyone else, for that matter. I walked around like a ghost most of the time. I felt so incomplete, so unbelievably lonely. The worst part was that there was nobody I could talk to about it. Mom probably thought I had long since given up, that I had forgotten everything, but I hadn't. I never would. A distant relative had given us a piano as a holiday gift, an instrument which I was fortunate to already know how to play. One day, when I was feeling especially sad, I sat down and started playing the instrumental version of "My Immortal", a song by a band called Evanescence. I sang all the words, up to the point of, "I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone, but though you're still with me, I've been alone all along." Mom walked past the living room, and my red, tear-filled eyes met hers. She quickly looked away and walked off, but I knew my point was made.

Later that night, I was sitting cross-legged on my bed. I wore a black tank top, with a Baltimore Ravens jersey over it, and black leggings with silver ballet flats. I was crocheting, another new hobby I recently picked up. As I did, I thought about the look on Jareth's face as I screamed at him. Poor guy! He probably felt like it was deja-vu. Mom left him, and so did I. He had no idea about my house argument, so he must have thought I was gone for good. Out of everything else, that's what made me feel the most guilty. He was the Underground personified. He represented everything that made me more myself. I wanted badly to tell him how sorry I was, but to know that I couldn't hurt so much. I stood up and started pacing around.

Over my shoulder, I took note of the perfect full moon in the sky. I remembered something Nanna Karen told me when I was in second grade, "The moon watches over everyone." I hoped that was literal. I closed my eyes, and I lost myself in the memory of my birthday party. I started to sing a song called "I'll Try", from the movie "_Peter_ _Pan_ _2_". I sang, "I am not a child now. I can take care of myself. I mustn't let them down now, mustn't let them see me cry. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm too tired to listen. I'm too old to believe, all these childish stories. There is no such thing as faith, and trust, and pixie dust. Cause I try, but it's so hard to believe. I try, but I can't see what you see. I try. I try. I try. My whole world is changing. I don't know where to turn. I can't leave you, baby. But I can't stay and watch the city burn. Watch it burn. Cause I try, but it's so hard to believe. I try, but I can't see what you see. I try. I try. I try. I try and try to understand the distance in between. The love I feel, the things I fear, and every single dream. I can finally see it. Now, I have to believe, all those precious stories. All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust. So, I'll try, cause I finally believe. I'll try, cause I can see what you see. I'll try. I'll try. I'll try. I'll try. I'll try…to fly." I whispered to whoever could hear me, "Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, know that I haven't forgotten." Tears trickled down my face as I walked back to my bed and sat down.

Gosh, I was acting like somebody died! It sure felt like that. It was a part of me that died, the part of me called fulfillment. I turned on my radio, trying to let the music drown out everything. A song came on called "Somewhere Only We Know". The words struck a chord with me, as if the performer was reading my mind. I held my head in my hands as the lyrics poured out, "Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting older, and I need something to rely on. So, tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin. So, if you have a minute, why don't we go? Talk about it, somewhere only we know." I sniffled deeply as I heard the last part of the chorus: "This could be the end of everything. So, why don't we go somewhere only we know?" As the song continued to play, memories of the last six months of my life played out in my mind: the wish, the injury, the history, the dancing, the horses, the party, and the fireside chat. I never thought I had that many tears in my body, but guess what? They gushed from my eyes like a faucet. I gritted my teeth to keep my voice down. I thought to myself, "I should have told him when I had the chance, how much I really cared for him, that I loved him." I took several deep breaths to calm down, and I thought reading a book might help me, too.

In the Eye of the Storm was a mystery novel, and one of my favorite books, but I couldn't concentrate after the first five pages. An image of Jareth flashed in my head. He was sitting at his desk in the library, reading one of his mythology books. He landed on the story of where my name came from. He sighed and said, "Oh, blast! Why do all my thoughts keep drifting to that girl?" He started reading the paragraph, and his eyes suddenly grew a bit wide, as if he had seen something life-changing. The vision faded, and as I glanced to my right, and I saw the statue next to my lamp. I picked it up and started gingerly touching it. I moved my finger along its cheekbone, reflexively reaching up and touching my own face in the same area. I questioned softly, "How could I have been so blind?" I clutched it tight to my chest, like a frightened toddler holding a teddy bear. I whispered, "I wish you were here." Instantly, I heard a loud tapping sound. I thought it was Mom at first, so I quickly returned the statue to its place and started reading again. Then, a strong wind blew my window open. I covered my face with one hand as the wind blew my hair into my eyes. My eyes then flicked down, and I was shocked to see glitter, covering my entire floor. I thought, "No way. It can't be." I looked back up, and sure enough, there he was.

Jareth appeared tired, but okay overall. I tried to play it cool at first, looking at my book and saying, "I didn't think I would ever see you again." "What, after our little spat? Oh come, come, Ari. Give me some more credit. You know me better than that." I swallowed hard and muttered, "Yes. Yes, I do." There was only a second of silence, but it was enough to make me drop my nonchalant attitude. I slammed my book closed, threw it to the side, and jumped from my bed. I ran to Jareth and threw my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. I felt his arms sliding around my upper back. My cheek was mashed against the cold metal of his breastplate, my falling tears turning it darker. His chin rested on the top of my head. "I missed you so much." He said he missed me, too. I then begged him not to throw Hoggle in the bog, saying, "He was only trying to protect me." "I know, I know. I hate to admit this, but I know his heart was in the right place." He pushed me away from him for a second, looked me in the eyes, and said, "I once promised to be there for your mother as the world fell down, and I will do the same for you." I nodded, before once again leaning my face against his chest. He started singing softly, "In this world so full of fear, full of rage and lies, I can see the truth so clear in your eyes. So, dry your eyes. And I'm so grateful to you. I'd have lived my whole life through, lost forever, if I never knew you." By now, my tears had long since stopped, and I felt the urge to give a real smile again. I moved away from him and said, "So, you did pay attention." He gave a tiny smile and held out his arm. "Come on. Let's get you out of here." I glanced over my shoulder at my bedroom door, knowing Mom had gone to bed a while ago. I turned back to him, tucking my hand into the crook of his elbow, and said, "Lead the way." One snap of the fingers, and we were back in the throne room. Jareth walked quickly over to his throne and sat down, while I sat on the steps next to it. For the first time in a long time, I felt myself relax. Goblins were everywhere, smiling and talking and laughing. I sighed in contentment. I was home.

Suddenly, Jareth cleared his throat and said, "I have a gift for you." As he handed it to me, he said, "Merry Christmas." "I didn't know you guys even celebrated holidays like ours." "We share many human holidays." I glanced around and imagined the castle would look breathtaking, once it was completely decorated, and I imagined said decorating would begin soon. I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful jewel-encrusted hair clip, fashioned as a replica of the pendant he always wore. "Thank you so much." I found a good spot and put it in my hair. Then, I turned to him and said, "You know me so well." He flashed a full-on smile, and I returned it. As I started looking away, he handed me a drink and replied, "You think I don't know my own daughter?" Some of the goblins around us gave soft gasps, shocked. I choked on the wine and even spit some of it out. I took a few slow, deep breaths, before turning around to face him yet again. I said, "Um…You probably figured it out before I did." "I started having suspicions not long after we met, and that smile of yours was a big warning sign." My smile…his smile! They were exactly the same! No wonder it always made Hoggle so nervous! How in the world could I have never noticed that?! He continued, "But it was reading the myth from which your name originated that sealed it." That's right! In the minotaur story, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos, the man who controlled the labyrinth. My name was a code, and Mom never told me! She always called me 'princess', and now I knew why! I started getting angry again, but then, he scooted over and patted the side of the throne. "Come sit with me." I nodded nervously and stood up.

I sat down and said, "So…I guess calling you by your name would be a moot point now." "That's entirely up to you. I won't pressure you into anything." As I slowly set my cup down, an idea came to me. I reached over and took his left hand in both of mine. "W-What are you doing?" I didn't answer him. I slid his glove off, and I placed my hand next to his. Except for some minor lingering baby fat with mine, they were exactly the same. "Wow" came out in a heavy exhale. We linked eyes again. I said, "Somehow, I always knew." "I suppose I did, as well, but I was too stupid to recognize it." I hated to think about it, really I did, but the real question was this: how was I conceived? Then, I remembered a moment from when I went back in time. I was half-conscious on the floor, and….Oh, eew! I heard them…EEWWW! A crystal must have fallen from his pocket and broke when they rolled over it. They were thrown apart by the force, and since they were in an oubliette, they forgot what happened. However, that obviously didn't erase the effects, namely me. Oh, and one more time for good measure…EEWWW! "Are you alright, Ari?" "Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a gross flashback." He smiled and laughed slightly. I didn't know if that meant he knew what I was talking about, or not.

I finished the rest of my drink and asked, "What happens now?" "To be honest, I'm not quite sure. I assume I'll have to make a formal presentation of you to the court sometime soon." "Yeah. This is a lot to take in." He put his arm around me. "You know you're not alone, right, Ari? You never have been." I smiled as I put my hand over his. I leaned over, kissed his cheek, and said, "I do know. I love you…Dad." Was that a blush I saw? Did his smile look slightly embarrassed, or was that just me? He kissed my cheek in return and whispered in my ear, "I love you, too, darling."


End file.
